DEPRESSED BUTTER PRICES.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LIV, Issue 288, 2 November 1934, Page 5

DEPRESSED BUTTER PRICES.

STALE PRODUCT OFFERED. PREMIER’S EXPERIENCE IN BRITAIN. (By Telegraph—Special to Standard.) AVELLINGTON, Nov. 1. Light was thrown on the recent depression in New Zealand butter prices by the Prime Minister (Mr Forbes) when speaking in the House of Representatives to-night, a cable being quoted from London stating that 64s was the quotation for old butter which had been lying in store ever since January. Mr Forbes followed this with pointed comment regarding the prejudice against New Zealand butter through marketing it in a stale condition. He suggested that when grocers were getting our butter which had been stored since January it would not encourage them to buy more. Mr C. .A. AVilkinson: AVliat is the Dairy Board doing? Mr Forbes: AVhen I was in England they showed me butter in store for which the factory -would not take the price offered. It - had gone down 10s and that butter had been stored for 12 months. AVhen opened up it had a white, tallowy appearance. AVhen he was in Glasgow, Mr Forbes added, he inquired about the traders’ opinion of New Zealand products. They said they got two or three good consignments of butter and liked it; then they got some undoubtedly stale. These things required more attention at the other end. AVe had all our organisation at this end for production and quality, which at the marketing end the whole thing was left largely to, be carried on without half the attention and propaganda necessary. Mr D. McDougall: AVliat about our cheese ?

The Prime Minister replied- that there had been a good deal of complaint, but a considerable improvement had recently been made in cheese. “AVe are told this legislation is socialistic,” he added. “The people who say this don’t look at the question as a whole to see where we are getting. AVe have our produce down t-o a price which is uneconomic and is a disaster to our dairymen, and we are told to leave things alone. This Bill is a genuine attempt to improve things, and if the Government can get the machinery it will take it up and in every way assist the dairying and other industries to get new markets in Britain and other countries. They can rely on the substantial help of the Government right through.” It was the Government’s intention to strengthen the trade representation, not only in Britain but other countries. But it was no good having representatives getting information from, other countries without doing something to back it up.